It weighed approximately 240 pounds, filled an entire 32 gallon plastic trash can and took 10 plastic canisters of fruit punch Kool-Aid mix to make.

Members of the Blue Ridge Baptist Church, 9320 E. 35th St. in Independence, created a giant popsicle for children to conclude its summer session of vacation Bible school.

Blue Ridge’s Senior Pastor Chane Hutton said this wasn’t his first time making a giant frozen treat, either.

“This will be the first time in 10 years since I made one,” he said. Hutton joined the church in April and he said he got the idea for an enormous popsicle from a youth activity book.

The popsicle was a four day project, Hutton said. First the church purchased a new trash can, cleaned it out, and emptied 10 canisters of Kool-Aid mix, that made up to 80 quarts of the drink total, and gallons of water into the container. He and other church members then stored the trash can filled with Kool-Aid inside a walk-in freezer at a nearby Save-A-Lot Grocery Store, where it hardened from Monday to Thursday night. A wooden shovel handle served as the popsicle stick and a hole was cut in the trash can’s lid to fit it. Once the gigantic popsicle returned to the church for Family Night festivities on Thursday, Hutton said he took a leaf blower to the frozen stiff trash can in order to thaw it just a bit so it could be removed from the container. The colossal creation required the strength four grown men to get the popsicle out of its holder.

Fortunately, the removal went without a hitch, albeit some melted popsicle gushed out once it escaped the trash can.

“It looks like a crime scene out there,” laughed one church member about the dark red Kool-Aid dripping on a picnic table and pavement at the back of the church.

Blue Ridge Church Secretary Marsha Youngblood and a couple mothers of the VBS students took ice picks and began chipping away chunks of the popsicle to serve the kids and their parents. However, after nearly 30 people were served the cold confection, it had hardly made a dent on the popsicle.

“I thought this would be a great finale for vacation Bible school,” Hutton said about the giant popsicle. “We also want to restore our outreach programs.”

The new pastor also said the church has a number of upcoming events slated for the next couple of months. A free school supply giveaway for families in need is scheduled for July 26. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., families in the Eastern Jackson County area can visit the church to receive needed supplies. Plus an ice social and fall festival are scheduled for August and September.

Page 2 of 2 - “I also know a couple of Chiefs players,” Hutton added. “I want to have a free sports camp here in the fall.”

For more information about future events at Blue Ridge Baptist Church, or possibly get a portion of the remaining giant homemade popsicle, call 816-353-8140.